Apparatus for treatment of webs



P 5, 1962 K. F. COSSABOON 3,055,337

APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF WEBS Filed Sept. 9, l959 l6 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Fl G- 32 W M GENERATOR MULTI- SCALE RESET VIBRATOR 0F 2 THY.

INVENTOR KARL E COSSABOON ATTORNEY Sept. 25, 1962 K. F. COSSABOON APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF WEBS l6 Sheets-Sheet 2- Filed Sept. 9, 1959 INVENTOR KARL F. COSSABOON ATTORNEY p 5, 1962 K. F. COSSABOON 3,055,337

APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF WEBS Filed Sept. 9, 1959 16 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR KARL F.' COSSABOON FIGEZ P 1962 K. F. cossABooN 3,055,337

APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF WEBS Filed Sept. 9, 1959 16 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.4

INVENTOR s KARL F COSSABOON ATTORNEY Sept. 25, 1962 K. F. COSSABOON 3,055,337

APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF WEBS Filed Sept. 9, 19 59 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.6

- INVENTOR KARL E 0055:1800" BY nMW ATTORNEY Sept. 25, 1962 K. F. cossABooN 3,055,337

APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF WEBS Filed Sept. 9, 1959 16 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG.9

INVENTOR KARL F. COSSABOON Byfyw 7 M m ATTORNEY Sept. 25, 1962 K F. COSSABOON 3,055,337

APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF WEBS Filed Sept. 9, 1959 16 Shets-Sheet 7 FIG. 10

INVENTOR KARL E COSSABOON ATTORNEY Sept. 25, 1962 K. F. COSSABOON APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF WEBS 16 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Sept. 9, 1959 INVENTOR KARL F. COSSABOON BY {W 79M 74M ATTORNEY Se t. 25, 1962 K. F. COSSABOON 3,

APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF WEBS Filed Sept. 9, 1959 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 FIGJZ INVENTOR KARL F. COSSABOON BY 73M ATTORNEY Sept. 25, 1962 K. F. cossABooN APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF WEBS 16 Sheets-Sheet 1 O Filed Sept. 9, 1959 FIG. I5

I N VEN TOR KARL F. COSSABOON F 5 l3 YJMM {a ATTORNEY FI'G. l4

Sept. 25, 1962 K. F. COSSABOON 3,055,337

APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF WEBS Filed Sept. 9, 1959 16 Sheets-Sheet 11 FIG.17

IN VEN TOR KARL F. COSSABOON] ATTORNEY Sept. 25, 1962 K. F. COSSABOON 3,0

APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF WEBS Filed Sept. 9, 1959 16 Sheets-Sheet 12 FIG-19 F I G- ADHESIVE AREAS ON BACK INVENTOR KARL F. COSSABOON ATTORNEY Sept. 25, 1962 K. F. COSSABOON 3,955,337

APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF WEBS Filed Sept. 9, 1959 1a Sheets-Sheet 13 A4. FIG. 22

I! A A J I 242 245 I 9 I74 258 240 254 I A 131 I 21:56 A Fl 6.2]

FIG.3O

-r 415 i INVENTOR KARL F. COSSABOON ATTORNEY Sept. 25, 1962 K. F. COSSABOON 3,055,337

APPARATUS F OR TREATMENT OF WEBS Filed Sept. 9, 1959 16 Sheets-Sheet 14 FIG.Z4

INVENTOR KARL E COSSABOON ATTORNEY Sept. 25, 1962 K. F. cossABooN 3,055,337

APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF WEBS Filed Sept. 9, 1959 l6 Sh she t 1 FIG-26 FiG.Z5

INVENTOR KARL F COSSABOON ATTORNEY Se t. 25, 1962 K COSSABOON 3,9

APPARATUS FOR TREATMENT OF WEBS Filed Sept. 9, 1959 16 Sheets-Sheet l6 INVENTOR KARL E COSSABOON BY HM ATTORNEY This invention relates to a completely integrated automatic apparatus for unwinding webs from rolls, splicing the successive strips, treating the webs, rewinding the treated webs into rolls and removing the latter all under controlled conditions. The invention also relates to an automatic roll changing unwind unit for supplying webs to such an apparatus and removing the cores under controlled vacuum conditions. It also relates to an automatic roll handling unit for applying treated web to cores and removing wound rolls of web from such an apparatus under controlled vacuum conditions. The invention also is concerned with such a unit which has means for rewinding the web with either desired surface outermost on the rewound rolls. Still more particularly the invention relates to an integrated apparatus in which the web supplying unit and the web rewinding and removing unit are operated in synchronism through an electronic web footage counter, and means for controlling, severing and splicing the web are provided.

Various types of machines are known for supplying rolls of webs to be treated as a continuous strip. However, they do not lend themselves readily to a continuous operation wherein a coating operation is continuously carried out under conditions of highly reduced pressure. Also, they generally have an accumulator chamber to store the web while splicing so that there will be no interference with the treating or other operation.

An object of this invention is to provide a practical and dependable apparatus for continuously treating a web, especially under reduced pressure conditions, while continuously supplying separate rolls of Web and removing the cores, and while rewinding the treated Web onto separately supplied cores and removing the rewound rolls. Another object is to provide such an apparatus which can be maintained under reduced pressure and lightproofed conditions over long periods of time. Yet another object is to provide such an apparatus which can be operated at high rates of speed and still permit web severing and splicing to be carried out without changing the speed of the web or the provision of web-accumulation devices and chambers.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus which is compact and can be carefully controlled to permit web severing and splicing operations and rewind operations with either surface outermost in the rolls of treated web. A still further object is to provide such an apparatus which enables the coating of the web to be carried out at a high degree of vacuum without the necessity of squeeze rolls or other constructions to bear against the web and maintain the reduced pressure. Still other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the invention.

The novel apparatus of this invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings which constitute a part of this application and in which like parts are given the same reference numerals throughout the several views or figures.

FIGURE 1 is an elevation of the entire automatic apparatus for unwinding, splicing, coating, rewinding webs;

FIGURE 2 is a detailed side elevation (with parts in section) of the unwind unit of the apparatus;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevation (with parts in section) tent taken along the lines 33 of FIGURE 2 of the unwind unit;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view (with parts in section) of the unwind unit taken along lines 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical section taken through the chuck taken along the lines 55 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 5A is an enlarged fragmentary section of the cylindrical flanges on an end of the web roll mandrel;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view (with parts in section) of the unwind unit, taken along lines 66 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged elevation of the cam mechanism for positioning the splice roll;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged elevation of the outer door;

FIGURE 9 is a detailed side elevation (with parts in section) of the rewind unit;

FIGURE 10 is an end elevation (with parts in section) of the rewind unit taken along the lines 1010 of FIG- URE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a plan view (with parts in section) of the rewind unit taken along the lines 11-11 of FIG- URE 9;

FIGURE 12 is a plan view (with parts in section) of the rewind unit taken along the lines 1212 of FIG- URE 9;

FIGURE 13 is a detailed vertical sectional view of the door to the inner chamber (rewind unit);

FIGURE 14 is an elevation of the detail of cylinder and lever mechanism for the door of FIGURE 13;

FIGURE 15 is an end elevation of the door, closure cylinder and mechanism for the inner vacuum chamber (unwind unit);

FIGURE 16 is a detailed vertical sectional view taken along the lines I6-I6 of the door of FIGURE 15 to the inner chamber (unwind unit);

FIGURE 17 is a side elevation of the operating cylinder, rack and gear segment which operates the roll-transfer arms for the unwind unit;

FIGURE 18 is a detailed elevation of the web-severing knife for the unwind unit;

FIGURE 19 is a plan view showing details of one end of the web-severing knife, lever and pivots for the unwind unit;

FIGURE 20 is a perspective view of a roll of web with a double pressure-sensitive tape attached to one end;

FIGURE 21 is an enlarged side elevation of a safetylock mechanism to hold the splicing roll in position during web severing;

FIGURE 22 is an enlarged plan of the mechanism of FIGURE 21;

FIGURE 23 is an enlarged side view of a device for measuring the diameter of a new roll of web;

FIGURE 24 is an enlarged plan view of the device of FIGURE 23;

FIGURE 25 is an enlarged side view of a web-aligning device;

FIGURE 26 is an enlarged plan view of the web-aligning device of FIGURE 25;

FIGURE 27 is an enlarged side elevation of wrap roll and web-severing knife for the rewind unit;

FIGURE 28 is a left-end elevation of the mechanism of FIGURE 27;

FIGURE 29 is an enlarged section of the plunger housing.

FIGURE 30 is a side elevation showing the operating cylinder, rack and gear mechanism for indexing the wrap rolls;

FIGURE 31 is a right-end elevation of the cylinder rack end connection of the mechanism of FIGURE 30;

FIGURE 32 (sheet 1) is a schematic flow chart showing the relationship of the tachometers, pulse generators, and general electrical circuits for operating the splicing and cutting mechanisms for the unwind unit and rewind unit;

FIGURE 33 is a detailed perspective view showing the tachometers connected to the web roll core and web idler roller.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, the entire apparatus is shown in elevation in outline and in a practical arrangement where the web rewind unit is placed over the web unwind unit. This is merely a preferred and not a necessary arrangement of the various units.

With reference to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, the apparatus comprises an unwind unit A, an elongated housing B connecting the unwind unit with a coating and drying unit C, and an elongated housing D connecting the latter to rewind unit E.

The Unwind Unit The unwind unit A, while shown in outline in FIGURE 1, is shown in greater detail in FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 5. It comprises an enclosed central vacuum chamber 50, the casing of which has end walls 51 and 52 provided with door openings 53 and 54 which are closed by means of sealing doors 55 and 56, respectively. These doors, as shown in greater detail in FIGURES 15 and 16, have a central lug 57 protruding from their outer surfaces. A horizontal pin 58 passes through each lug and through the ends of spaced vertical levers 59 having their upper ends provided with a lug 60 which is attached to a shaft 61 which, in turn, is fastened to a link 62 having on one end pintle 63. The clevis end 64 of piston rod 65 interfits with this pintle and the other end is attached to a suitable piston (not shown) in fluid pressure activated cylinder 66 which has its lower end pivotally attached to a pintle 67 on a bracket 68 attached to the wall of chamber 50.

Openings 53 and 54 in the end walls of the central chamber connect with an enclosed vacuum interlock web roll receiving chamber 69 and with a vacuum interlock core removing chamber 70. These chambers have door openings 71 and 72 in their outer respective end walls. The latter are provided wth pivoted sealing doors 73 and 74, respectively. These doors, as more clearly shown in FIGURE 4 and FIGURE 8, have a central'lug 75 protruding outwardly from the outer surface. A pin 76 extends through this lug and through Y-shaped yoke 77 having radial arms 78 and 79 and lateral arms 80 and 81 through which passes vertical shaft 82 journalled in suitable bearings 83 and 84 which bearings are fastened by means of bolts 85 to the end wall of the respective outer chambers. The other arm of the Y-shaped yoke 77 has a slot 86 which engages the end of bolt 87 pivoted at one end on a bracket 88 fastened to the end wall adjacent the edge of the door. This bolt is threadably engaged with a handle 89 that extends across the slot. The doors have a flat portion which overlaps the flat surface of the Walls adjacent the door openings. If desired, suitable gaskets such as tubes, rings, strips of resilient material, e.g., rubber or other material, can be fitted into grooves on the doors in order to form a more perfect seal.

Web roll receiving chamber 69 is provided with an opening 90 which is connected to a suitable vacuum pump. This chamber is provided with U-shaped arms 91 having their upper inner ends journalled on a shaft 92 mounted on suitable bearings attached to the frame of the apparatus in any practical manner. As shown in FIGURE 17, the outer end of this shaft has keyed thereto a crescentshaped gear 93 which meshes with rack 94 attached to clevis 95 on the end of piston rod 96 which is in turn connected to a piston (not shown) in the roll transfer fluid pressure-actuated cylinder 97. The latter is attached to the frame for the apparatus in any suitable manner and is provided with operated valves, controls and connections to a suitable source of fluid pressure.

A seal can be provided on shaft 92 at the point where the shaft emerges from the casing. Suitable seals are well known and to eliminate unnecessary detail, a par- '4 ticular seal is not shown here. Similar seals can be used with all rotating shafts which extend through the casing. The Duraseal Model RA, rotary, No. 55 facing No. 14 carbon bushing in 0 rings, manufactured by Durametallic Corp., Kalamazoo, Michigan, can be used.

The outer ends of the U-shaped levers 91 are notched and thus adapted to receive the ends of mandrel 98, of the core 99 of the roll of web W. A fluid pressure-actuated cylinder 100 is pivotally mounted by means of pivot pins 101 attached to the lower end of each U-shaped arm. The piston rod 102 from this cylinder has a clevis end which is connected to a suitable pintle 103 on pivoted latch 104. This latch 104 is pivotally mounted on pintle 105 on the U-shaped arm. The latch extends around the end of the core shaft and holds it in the curved notch during a web transfer action.

The web roll cores have cylindrical flanges 106 mounted on the recessed outer ends of mandrel 98. One of the pair of cylindrical flanges on said mandrel is provided with an interfitting U-shaped or channeled annular ring 107 which consists of two L-shaped rings held together near their peripheries by suitable screws or bolts (not shown). The annular ring is adapted for rotation as a rim about the interfitting flange. The ring can be adjusted and locked in any angular position by means of a threadably engaged thumb screw 108 having an enlarged head 109 and a shank, the end of which shank extends into an annular groove 110 in a side wall of the flange 106. In the periphery of the annular ring is a small permanent magnet insert 111 which coacts with suitable electrical pickups 112 mounted on the side wall (140 of the sheath frame), as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. The magnetic insert and pickup sense the passage of the permanent magnet insert at the time splices are accomplished. In so accomplishing splices between an expiring web roll and the leading end of a new Web roll, it is essential that the splicing mechanism be actuated when it is sensed that the leading end of a new web roll is in a preselected angular (or circumferential distance) relationship with the machine elements. The flanges have tapered ends 113 which interfit with the recess 114 in the end of an interfitting chuck 115. This is shown more fully in FIGURES 5 and 5A of the drawing. The flanges on the cores also have a spring-pressed detent 116 which looks into a hole 117 on the chuck which will be further explained below.

Web roll receiving chamber 69 is also provided with a device for measuring the diameter of a new web roll. This device consists of a roller 118 rotatably mounted in a clevis 119 which is secured to the end of cylindrical shank 120 in the upper side of which is machined a series of gear teeth 121 forming a rack. The rack-shank is slidably engaged, in a near-horizontal position, in two ball bushings 122 which are mounted to a first vertical wall 123 of a bracket 124 which has a second vertical wall 125, at right angles to the first, having a rear face 126 which mounts against the side of the end wall 51 which is in the receiving chamber 69 (see FIGURE 2); the bracket 124 is located centrally between the pair of U-shaped arms 91. The measuring device is thus mounted such that the axis of the cylindrical shank 120 is disposed radially in respect to a newly introduced web roll W.

The rack-shank is urged radially toward the web roll axis by a spring 127, thus the roller 118 will lie against the periphery of the web roll and the position of the shank will be a measure of the web roll diameter. The device is further provided with a pinion 128, in driving engagement with the rack; the shaft 129 for this pinion is journalled in bearings 130 which are secured to the first vertical wall of bracket 124. At the far end of shaft 129 and coupled therewith is the rotor shaft 131 of a rotary switch 132; the stator of the switch is secured to the bracket 124. The switch rotor (not shown) is continuously rotatable, having a single contact blade on the rotor adapted, upon being rotated, to make successive electrical contact with each of a plurality (e.g., 40) of stationary contact members (not shown) in the stator. The position of the switch rotor then will be established when a new web roll is placed in the U-shaped arms 91 and the rotor position will be a measure of web roll diameter.

Central vacuum chamber 50, as will be apparent from the drawings, embodies a casing with welded side walls, end walls and a bottom plate 133. It also has a top plate 134 provided with an opening 135 for passage of a web W. This plate can be welded, bolted or otherwise firmly attached to the side and .end walls. The end walls have welded thereto four heavy brackets 136 which are welded to or otherwise aifixed to a heavy welded inner sheath frame 137. This frame has two end walls 138 which are spaced a short distance from the inner end walls of the chamber. The upper part of these walls is also firmly attached to the inner walls of the casing or chamber. Between the end walls of the inner sheath are two side walls .139 and 140. The central part of these side walls has a depending trapezoidal central segment. This sheath frame serves as a support for the various drive shafts and pivoted yoke of the web and roll handling mechanism.

Journalled in a suitable welded collar 141 in the central lower part of the trapezoidal segment of each side wall of the sheath is a large stubshaft 142 on which is journalled bearing block 143 constituting the central part of yoke 144. This yoke has an upper and a lower arm between the ends of which are bearing blocks 145. As shown in FIGURE 5, this block has a pair of antifriction bearings 146 which engage the bearing surface of a sleeve 147 interfitting with the chuck shaft 148.

The outer end of this shaft is recessed and spring 149 surrounds the recessed end 150 and abuts the shoulder onthe shaft and the inner end of surrounding sleeve 147 adjacent the bearing block. The sleeve has an extension 151. The outer end of the chuck shaft has a collar 152 which is held on by means of nut 153 having threaded engagement with the threaded end of the shaft. Keyed to sleeve 147 is a pulley 154 which is driven by belt 155, as will be further explained below.

Surrounding collar 152 is a spider 156 having inwardly extending fingers adapted to engage the inner face of the collar and disengage the chuck from the flange on the web roll core. Spaced from the collar are two cam follower rollers 157 having threaded shafts 158 extending through holes (not numbered) in each of the two legs of the spider, said shafts being secured in position by means of nuts 159. Piston rod 160 connected to this spider passes through bearing plate 161 mounted on the outer side wall of the casing or vacuum chamber. The piston rod is attached to a piston (not shown) in fluid pressureactuated cylinder 162 which is also fixed to said bearing plate. The fluid pressure-actuated cylinder 162 is of the double-acting type. Referring to FIGURE 5, the spring 149 normally urges the end of the chuck shaft 148 into abutment with the cylindrical flange 106; however, as an added safety measure and during the period when a .core 99 is present, the cylinder 162 is subjected to fluid pressure in its head end; the piston rod 160 is thus held fully inward (in a chuck-to-flange 106 engaging direction). This does not mean that the rollers 157 continuously engage the outer face of collar 152; with the piston rod 160 thus held in its fully inward position, the spider 156 is preadjusted axially in respect to the piston rod 160 such that a clearance of to A2 inch exists between the periphery of the rollers 157 and the outer face of collar 152. Thus, the spring 149 holds the chuck in, but if the spring should fail, the chuck shaft 148 cannot move out by more than 4; inch and a core will not fall out of a chuck.

The piston rod 160 is keyed, in respect to the walls, to avoid rotation of the spider; thus, the spider has its open sides disposed such that the collar 152 and chuck shaft 148 can pass through the spider when the yoke 144 is indexed. This cylinder is provided with suitable oper- 6 ating valve controls and with connections to a source of fluid pressure, e.g., a tank of compressed air.

On the inner side of each yoke 144 and fastened thereto are gears 163. These gears mesh with pinions 164 on the ends of horizontal drive shaft 165 journalled in suitable bearings 166 in side walls 139 and 140 of the inner sheath frame. Fixed to the shaft between the said walls are spaced sprockets 167 driven by chains 168 which likewise engage sprockets 169 keyed on shaft =170 journalled in bearings 171 in the side walls of the sheath frame. This shaft extends through a bearing 172 in a side wall of the casing.

In the central upper part of side walls 130 and 140 there are fixed stubshafts 173. Levers 174 are pivotally mounted on these stubshafts. The bottom ends of these levers contain bearings (not numbered) in which is journalled the shaft ends 175 of the large splicing roller 176 around which the web from the web rolls passes. Fixedly mounted in bearings 177 in the pivoted levers a short distance from the shaft ends of the roller is shaft 178 for an idler roller 179. Collars 180 are placed between the levers and the ends of the idler roller.

Belts 155 fitted on pulleys 154 for driving the web roll cores fit into small pulleys 181 keyed on shafts 182 extending through bearings 183 in the central part of the side walls of the casing. Keyed to these shafts outside the casing are pulleys 184 which are driven by belts 185 engaging pulleys 186 keyed to shafts 187 of driving electric motors 18% mounted on brackets 189 which are fastened to the casing.

Sheath frame 137 also supports a web-severing knife and attendant operating mechanism. This knife 1190 (having a serrated edge) and mechanism as shown in FIGURES 2, 6, l8 and 19', is fixed between the ends of pivoted levers 191 keyed to shaft 192 journ-alled in bearings fixed in side walls 139 and 140 of the sheath frame. Attached to one end of the shaft extending beyond a side wall is lever 194 having a pivot pin 195 inter fitting with clevis 196 on the end of the piston rod 197 on fluid pressure-actuated cylinder 198. This cylinder is provided near its center with a pintle 199 which is journalled in suitable arms 200 on bracket 201 fastened to an outer side wall of the sheath fnarne. This cylinder is provided with valves, controls and connections to a source of fluid pressure whereby the knife can be actuated at the proper time.

The levers for the knife have about midway between the latter and the pivot point an integral lateral arm 202 having a curved slot 203. Stop bar 204 having its outer ends fixed to the side walls of the sheath frame, as shown in FfGURE 18 extends through this slot and coacts therewith to limit the terminal position of the knife. A resilient (e.g., rubber) bumper 205 is fastened in the outer end of the curved slot 203.

Associated with this knife are two mechanisms which aid in severance of the web and in splicing of the severed trailing end from an exhausted core to the leading end of a new web roll. The first of these mechanisms is a means for moving the splicer roll and the web traveling around its surface against the new r-oll. This is accomplished by means of a fluid pressure-actuated cylinder 206 having an eye 207 on the outer end. Pin 208, aflixed to bracket 209, extends through the eye and serves as a pivot point. The bracket, as shown in more detail on FIGURE 6, is attached to the center of upper crossplate 210 extending between and fixed to the sidewalls of the sheath frame. Piston rod 211 extending from a piston (not shown) in the cylinder has on its outer end a clevis 212 through which, and through lug 213 on lower crossplate 214, there extends a pivot pin 215. The ends of crossplate 214 are fastened to levers 174, which hold the shaft extending through splicing roll 176.

Referring to FIGURES 2, 6 and 7, a part of this mechanism for moving the splicing roll includes a cam follower roll 216 mounted on shaft 217 extending between 7 earing brackets 218 mounted on arms 174 and protruding beyond its back edges. Cam 219 contacts with the follower roller. This cam is fixed to horizontal shaft 220 journalled in and extending between bearings 221 in the side walls 139 and 140 of the sheath frame. In FIGURE 7 there are shown on a larger scale details of the relation of this cam to the arm which moves the arm and splicer roll. Fixed on this shaft 220 is a pulley 222 carrying belt 223 which similarly engages a pulley 224 fixed on a parallel drive shaft 225 which extends through bearing 226 in said sheath frame. The ends of this shaft fit into coupling 227 in which is also fitted the drive shaft from combined motor and reducing gear box 228.

At the opposite end of shaft 225 is secured the rotor (not shown) of a switch 229; the stator (not shown) of the switch is secured to side wall 139. The switch is of the type described above. Each of its stationary contact members is connected to a corresponding stationary con-tact member in an identical switch (not shown) on the roll diameter measuring device. The two switches are suitably connected to a power source and thence to the motor in the combined motor and gear box 228, the whole being adapted to energize the motor and thus cause the shaft 225 and the rotor of the switch 229 to rotate until the rotor reaches an angular position corresponding to that of the switch on the roll diameter measuring device. In effect, this causes the cam 219 to assume a predetermined angular position in respect to the cam follower roll 216, thus the cam causes the lever 174 to swing the splicing roller 176 to a predetermined position such that, when the new web roll is later transported into the yoke 77, the periphery of new web roll will be just clear (about 4 inch) of the splicer roll. The splicing roll must be so positioned for several reasons. The diameters of the new web rolls vary from roll-to-roll and the splicing roll, upon being driven by cylinder 206 for the purpose of making a splice, must come into splicing contact with the new web roll in a short known time increment and, further, must always close the A1. inch gap, for different Web rolls, in substantially the same known time increment regardless of roll size.

After a splice has been made, the cam and switch 229 automatically return to their starting position in anticipation of later accommodating a new roll. While the switch resets, the splicing roll and its support arms swing, by gravity and web tension, to a position such that a maximum gap exists between the splice roll and the web roll in anticipation of the installation of a new Web roll in the web roll receiving chamber. During the period when the cam is driving the splicing roller 176 to a predetermined position, the cylinder 206 offers no restraint to the lever '174 since its associated valve means (not shown) causes the head end of the cylinder to be open to the atmosphere outside the vacuum chamber (the rod end is always open to the atmosphere).

The second of the two associated mechanisms is a lock bar assembly which is shown in greater detail in FIGURES 21, 22 and 29 (see also FIGURE 4). This assembly consists of a double U-shaped bracket 230 which is bolted to stop bar 204 near its center. The lower part of this bracket has arms 231 which extend around and are pivotally connected to plunger casing 232 by means of pins 233. Lock-lever 234 (rectangular cross-section) extends into this casing. The casing 232 has an internal profile formed by two parallel walls (shown in FIGURE 29) and two walls having parallel sections at either end joined by a tapered section at the center. The bottom end of this lever is connected by means of pin 235 to lug 236 on bracket 237 which in turn is fastened to crossplate 214 which extends between levers 174.

In plunger casing 232 and surrounding the lock-lever is a spring 238 which abuts end plate 239 of said casing, and annular bearing cage 240 containing rollers 241 which contact with the tapered inner walls of the plunger casing and with the lock-lever 234. A plunger 242 contacts the annular cage and is guided by means of collar 243 which is fastened to the casing by means of screws 244 or other suitable fastening means. The outer head of the plunger is curved to provide a cam surface. During the period when the roller 245 lies against the curved end of plunger 242, it depresses the plunger in respect to casing 232, in effect, driving the cage 240 and the two rollers 241 sufliciently far into the divergent part of the internally tapered portion of casing 232 that the locklever 234 cannot assume a locked position but is free to move axially in either direction. Roller 245 is normally in contact with the end of plunger 242 at all times except when the arm 246 starts to swing, the arm then being actuated at the same time that the shaft 192 starts to turn to drive the knife. When roller 245 departs from the plunger, the spring 238 urges the cage 240 and the rollers 241 toward the convergent end of the taper thus effectively locking the lock-lever 234 and preventing it from moving in the same direction. The lock-lever 234 is free, however to move toward the new web rolls; it does so when the splicer roll is moved into contact with a new Web roll whereupon the lock-lever is snubbed or locked thus preventing the splicer roll from bouncing or being pulled away from the web roll due to normal tension in the web or tension occasioned by the shock of cutting. The lock-lever then holds the splicer roll firmly in contact with the new web roll until such time as the splice has been accomplished and the knife has been withdrawn, whereupon the roller 245 again engages and depresses plunger 242, in effect, releasing the splicer roll. This is accomplished by the turning of shaft 192 which actuates the knife. The arm 246 is fastened to block 247 which in turn is keyed or otherwise fastened to the knifeactuating shaft 192.

In the unwind unit, referring to FIGURES 2 and 6, it is desirable to lock the yokes into position at various times; for example, during normal winding and during web-severing operations. This is accomplished by means of a plate 248 fastened near the end of the yoke arm on the outside. A cup member 249 having a tapered recess 250 is welded or otherwise fastened to this plate. The tapered end 251 of piston rod extension 252 fits into the recess. The piston rod threadably engaged to the extension passes into fluid pressure-actuated cylinder 253 mounted in support member 254 in the side wall of the casing. The cylinder is provided with a piston, valves, controls and connections to a source of fluid pressure.

The large gears 163 fastened to yokes 144 are for the purpose of slowly rotating the yoke from web-receiving position to web-feeding and core-removing position. During splicing and rotation of the yoke, however, the web is continuously unwound.

The core-removing chamber 70 is similar in construction to the web roll-receiving chamber 69, has a similar air removal opening and contains the same U-shaped arms and parts as in the latter, and for the sake of brevity the description and reference numbers will not be repeated. The outer doors 73 and 74 are similar in construction to the inner doors except that the doors are hinged on the side, rather than on the top. The operation of these doors will be described below in explaining the operation of the apparatus and controls.

The Coating Unit The web (W) passes upwardly from central vacuum chamber into cupola 255 where it passes over web aligner roller 256 of an aligning device which keeps it in a predetermined path without restraint. The device consists of a pair of 'aligner rolls 256 and 257 which are rotatably mounted on shafts 258 and 259 which are supported in U-shaped frame 260; this frame is joined to and supported by a vertical shaft 261 which is rotatably carried in two bearings 262 mounted on a frame 263 which, in turn, is mounted to the upper face of the vacuum chamber 50. On the underside of the U-shaped frame is a 

